Looking Backward While Moving Forward: O’s Handcuff Rays 7-1, Matt Moore to Receive Tommy John Surgery

Perhaps you could blame it on his inability to throw quality strikes. Or, maybe you could blame it his lack of command, leaving fastball after fastball up, and over the plate, in very hittable locations. Then again, it could have been his seeming inability to keep batters off balance by not throwing his change-up often. I’d argue it was choice D, all of the above. Whatever the case, Chris Archer did the Rays no favors Monday night, tossing the Orioles hitters meatball after meatball in his less than stellar 5 IP/12 H/7 R outing. The Rays fell to the Orioles — a team who hit five doubles off Archer — by a score of 7-1

The New What Next: Rays vs. Orioles — A Series Preview of Sorts

So far, this has been an odd road trip…to say the least. Tampa Bay has gone 7-for-30 wRISP, tagging the opposing pitchers for only 13 runs. Though Tampa Bay took two of three from the Reds, they still ended the series with a -6 run differential. Yet the Rays have a 3-3 record — six games into their nine-game road trip — and are about to face a scuffling Orioles squad who, if I may, don’t look so hot themselves. There is a very realistic possibility that the Rays could come home with a winning record on this wonky trip — which they’ll need going into the upcoming Yankees series, when they throw their B-starters on the mound.

Alex Cobb Added to 15-Day DL with A Left Oblique Strain

The Rays placed RHP Alex Cobb on the 15-day DL with a left oblique strain. He was sent back to St. Peterburg for an MRI Sunday morning, so we should know more about the injury soon. Cobb is the second starter to go down in the last week, joining LHP Matt Moore. RHP Jeremy Hellickson is also on the DL, while RHP Alex Colome is suspended until late May for a failed drug test. Reliever Jeff Beliveau, who was briefly with the team during the Royals series last week, rejoined the team Sunday.

Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Cobb, Rays Blank Reds, 1-0, Cobb Placed on the 15-day DL

The skinny: Alex Cobb came out victorious in Saturday’s pitching duel against Alfredo Simon, while James Loney provided all the offense the Rays would need. The Rays walked away from the Reds’ home Saturday afternoon with their second series win of the season.